Once Lathicharged Over a Paper Leak, Now Facing Calls to Resign: How Dharmendra Pradhan’s Journey Has Come Full Circle

Politics often comes full circle, and few stories illustrate that better than the journey of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Nearly 30 years ago, Pradhan was one of the most recognisable faces of student activism in Odisha, leading protests against an alleged examination paper leak and enduring a brutal police lathicharge. Today, he finds himself on the opposite side of a remarkably similar movement, with students across the country demanding his resignation over another paper leak controversy.

The striking parallels between 1997 and 2026 have reignited discussions about student protests, accountability, and the changing roles of political leaders over time.

When Dharmendra Pradhan Was a Student Protest Leader

Before entering mainstream politics, Dharmendra Pradhan was an active leader of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). Serving as the organisation’s National Secretary between 1994 and 1997, he led several student campaigns focusing on education, scholarships, admissions, and examination-related issues.

One of the most significant moments came in 1997, when Pradhan reportedly led nearly 1,500 students in a demonstration outside the Odisha Secretariat against an alleged examination paper leak.

According to people who participated in the protest, the demonstration turned violent after police launched a lathicharge. Pradhan was seriously injured, reportedly suffering fractures, while photographs of him covered in blood became symbolic of student resistance at the time.

Former Colleagues Recall His Leadership

Speaking about those years, Sudipta Kumar Ray, spokesperson for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Odisha and Pradhan’s senior during his student days, described him as someone deeply committed to student issues.

According to Ray, Pradhan regularly led campaigns related to scholarship rights, admission fees, and voter registration for university students while consistently advocating peaceful demonstrations.

Another former associate, Prashant Rout, now Principal of RMD Degree College in Bhubaneswar, also recalled the 1997 protest, saying Pradhan was among those injured during the police action despite the protest being peaceful.

Rout further claimed that Pradhan had faced physical attacks on more than one occasion during his student political career but continued to remain active in campus movements.

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The Present-Day Contrast

Fast forward to 2026, and Pradhan is no longer leading student demonstrations—he is the minister at the centre of one.

Students protesting over the alleged examination paper leak have been demanding greater accountability and Pradhan’s resignation. Demonstrations outside Parliament have seen clashes with police, with reports of injuries to several protesters and widespread debate over the handling of the protests.

The contrast has become a major talking point, with many observers noting the similarities between the issue that once propelled Pradhan into the spotlight and the controversy he now faces as Education Minister.

What Would the Student Leader of 1997 Have Done?

Asked how the young Dharmendra Pradhan might have responded to today’s situation, Ray maintained that Pradhan always believed in peaceful and democratic protests and would never have supported violence.

Rout echoed a similar sentiment, saying students have every democratic right to protest against the establishment, provided demonstrations remain peaceful.

Both former associates recalled that Pradhan consistently encouraged non-violent agitation during his years in student politics.

A Political Journey Under Fresh Scrutiny

Dharmendra Pradhan’s evolution from student activist to Union minister reflects a broader political journey spanning nearly three decades.

While supporters point to his long record of engagement with educational issues, critics argue that the present controversy places his earlier activism under renewed public scrutiny.

Whether the current protests reshape the political narrative around the Education Minister remains to be seen, but the similarities between the events of 1997 and 2026 have added an unexpected historical dimension to the ongoing debate.